By Olivia Obijiaku
Reflecting on the Gospel reading of the Monday, November 4, 2024, on the invitation to the banquet, Luke 14:12-14, the Vice Rector of St Joseph Minor Seminary Zaria, Rev Fr. Benedict Nkom clarified that charity is different from investment. At the Mass which he celebrated at Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish on the Feast Day of St Charles Borromeo, the clergyman charged the faithful to engage in charity without expecting anything in return or explain to recipients that they are expected to give something in return.
Fr. Nkom disclosed that the Masters and Doctorate in Civil Law and also Masters and Doctorate in Canon Law which the saint had helped him to understand the law very well. This knowledge he said helped the bishop in reforming his particular diocese. He remembered and prayed for all bishops, asking God to continue to inspire them with true wisdom so as to cause reforms that will make the Church better.
“True charity is not an investment.” He said. “It frowns at certain attitude that we show when give out something. Some of us want trumpets to be blown when they give something to somebody. They want people to genuflect and worship them because of what they gave to them. Some expect people to visit them to show appreciation. Yes, these things are good, but if a person does not do them, it does not mean that our generosity is in vain.”
“Jesus Christ was not actually teaching on how to invite guests to our banquets. He was teaching us on charity. Charity mean to give something without expecting anything in return. That is why He said, ‘You will be repaid at the Resurrection of the just,’ because when you give through charity, you do not expect the reward here on earth. You expect the reward in heaven. This is actually what Jesus is about – true charity.”
“Give from the bottom of your heart and do not expect anything in return. If not, make it very clear to the person that you are lending to them. But when you say that you give from your heart, it means that you are not expecting anything in return. We also do it to God, such that we pray and give God timeline. People see prayer like, ‘When you give to God, He will give back to you.’ Do not come to God with the mindset to give so that He will double what you have given. That is investment. Dear friend in Christ, these things are not charity.”
“So God wants us to change the mentality with which we give things. Evaluate your life and evaluate yourself. Has your generosity been from the heart or is it an investment? Has your charity been based on the bedrock of investment? Have you been giving all this time expecting to get a reward in return?”
